The emPOWER Breakfast

In Episode Five of Season Three of The emPOWER Breakfast Podcast, Founder and Host Athene Parker sits down with James Brook Partridge, Head of Production at WPP Productions, for a brilliantly candid conversation about family, masculinity, mental health, reinvention and belonging.James has spent more than 25 years in advertising production, with a career that took him from London to Hong Kong and Singapore before eventually bringing him home again.But 'The Long Way Home: How Relocation Redefines Reinvention' is much less about the impressive job titles and much more about the man.James grew up in a family firmly rooted in the establishment. His father, Bernard Brook-Partridge, was a prominent politician and a larger-than-life patriarch whose famously forthright opinions included a particularly memorable verdict on Punk and banning the Sex Pistols from playing in London.He had an upbringing that gave him plenty to reflect on. The expectations we absorb from our families. The roles we learn to play. He talks openly about his brother's alcoholism and the impact that had on the family, as well as his own experiences of anxiety, depression and burnout. And then there is the leaving. James spent years building a life in Hong Kong and Singapore with his wife and young family. Moving thousands of miles away brought adventure, opportunity and the freedom to create a different version of himself. He reflects on the fact that returning home is different. The people, the place and you yourself have all moved on, yet there can still be an expectation that you simply step back into the shape you once occupied. Family dynamics had changed. James had changed too. And suddenly the person returning had to work out how he fitted into a life that had continued without him.Athene and James talk about:Mental health, anxiety, depression and burnoutMasculinity and emotional honestyGrowing up in an establishment familyFamily dynamics and inherited expectationsHis brother's alcoholism and its impact on family lifeLeadership and the responsibility of looking after more than 150 peopleMoving abroad and starting againLife in Hong Kong and SingaporeReturning home after years awayMarriage, fatherhood and belongingLearning to let goKindness and going easier on ourselves and other peopleWhat makes this conversation special is the honesty James brings to all of it. He can talk about struggle without diminishing his strength. He can talk about uncertainty whilst clearly being someone capable of making difficult decisions. He can be vulnerable without surrendering authority.And perhaps one of the loveliest threads running through the episode is James' understanding of home. After all the countries, moves, career changes and reinventions, home for him is ultimately wherever his wife and children are.🎧 Listen to the James Brook-Partridge Spotify PlaylistTrack 1 – Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four) - EurythmicsTrack 2 – Waterfront - Simple MindsTrack 3 – The Helicopter Tune - Deep BlueTrack 4 – There Is a Light That Never Goes Out - Johnny MarrTrack 5 – Dance Hall Days - Wang ChungJames Brook-Partridge, James Brook Partridge, WPP Productions, WPP Production, Head of Production, advertising production, advertising industry, production leadership, creative production, mental health, men's mental health, burnout, anxiety, depression, masculinity, modern masculinity, leadership, emotional intelligence, Bernard Brook-Partridge, Punk, Sex Pistols, family dynamics, relocation, working abroad, Hong Kong, Singapore, returning home, reinvention, identity, belonging, fatherhood, resilience, The Long Way Home, emPOWERMENt, The emPOWER Breakfast Podcast, Athene ParkerPlease Follow & SubscribeIf this conversation resonates with you, please follow, rate and review The emPOWER Breakfast Podcast. Every subscription, rating and share helps more people discover these conversations and supports our mission to build empathy through honest conversations. 💛

Content note: This episode discusses infertility, miscarriage and pregnancy loss. Please take care while listening if these subjects are difficult for you.In Episode Four of Season Three of The emPOWER Breakfast Podcast, Founder and Host Athene Parker is joined by award-winning Production Director Keeley Dwight for an honest, deeply moving conversation about infertility, IVF, donor conception, resilience and the many different ways love can create a family.Keeley has built an exceptional career across the creative industries, producing award-winning work for some of advertising's most celebrated agencies before becoming Production Director at Mother London. Yet alongside that successful career, she and her husband were quietly navigating a journey that would change their lives forever.Over many years they experienced the heartbreak of infertility, eight rounds of IVF, failed treatment cycles, miscarriage and the emotional complexity of pregnancy after loss, before ultimately welcoming their son, Freddie, through egg donor conception during the Covid pandemic.With extraordinary openness, Keeley reflects on the realities that exist beyond the happy ending. She speaks candidly about the isolation of fertility treatment, the online communities that helped sustain her, and why breaking the silence around infertility and donor conception matters so deeply.Together, Athene and Keeley explore:Infertility and IVFEgg donor conceptionPregnancy after miscarriageMiscarriage and pregnancy lossWomen's health and fertilityFamily-building and modern familiesBalancing fertility treatment with a demanding careerWorkplace support and fertility policiesHope, resilience and identityThe importance of community and opennessThis conversation is about far more than fertility.It is about resilience. It is about partnership. It is about redefining what makes a family.And it is a powerful reminder that while our paths to parenthood may all look different, love is what creates belonging.🎧 Listen to the Keeley Dwight Spotify PlaylistTrack 1 – Saturday Night At The Movies - The DriftersTrack 2 – World Hold On - Bob SinclairTrack 3 – Fast Car - Tracy ChapmanTrack 4 – You're All I Need To Get By - Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terell Track 5 – Baby I Love You - RamonesKeeley Dwight, Mother London, Mother Agency, Production Director, advertising production, IVF, infertility, fertility treatment, fertility journey, egg donor conception, donor conception, donor conceived families, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, pregnancy after miscarriage, women's health, fertility support, fertility in the workplace, family building, modern families, resilience, advertising industry, women in advertising, The emPOWER Breakfast Podcast, Athene ParkerPlease Follow & SubscribeIf this conversation resonated with you, please follow, rate and review The emPOWER Breakfast Podcast. Every subscription, rating and share helps more people discover these conversations and supports our mission to build empathy through honest conversations. 💛

Content warning: This episode discusses sexual assault and may be distressing for some listeners. Please take care while listening.In Episode Three of Season Three of The emPOWER Breakfast Podcast, Founder and Host Athene Parker is joined by Emily Jordan-Wilson, Founder of Feral Reps, for perhaps one of our most impactful conversations so far.Emily has spent her career at the heart of advertising's new business and production community, building relationships across the creative industries. Today, through Feral Reps, she champions independent production companies, post houses, editing and music companies while advocating for stronger leadership, healthier workplace cultures and better safeguarding for those entering the industry.When Emily joined The emPOWER Breakfast live, she challenged the advertising industry to rethink one of its longest-standing assumptions: that relationship-building should come at any personal cost.Emily reflects on her childhood, her route into advertising, the resilience that has carried her throughout her career and the life-changing experience of sexual assault while travelling for work that ultimately became the catalyst for her determination to create meaningful change.This conversation explores the culture of networking, entertainment and relationship-building that has long been woven into the fabric of the advertising and production industries. Rather than focusing solely on what happened, it asks a bigger question:What responsibility do organisations have for the wellbeing and safety of their people?Further reading:June 2026 Employer Bulletinhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employer-bulletin-june-2026/june-2026-issue-of-the-employer-bulletinEmployment Rights Act 2025: Strengthening Protections for Whistleblowershttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/695fc7f1714f11cb497765eb/strengthening-protections-for-whistleblowers-factsheet.pdfFrom clearer leadership and expectations to practical safeguarding measures, Emily and Athene discuss the practical changes every leader can make to create environments where people feel safe to speak up.Together, Athene and Emily explore:Leadership and duty of careWorkplace culture in advertising and productionSexual harassment and safeguarding at workNew business, networking and client entertainmentWomen's safety in the workplacePsychological safety and wellbeingBuilding healthier industry culturesResilience, purpose and post-traumatic growthFounding Feral RepsLeading change through lived experienceThis is a conversation about culture. About leadership. And about the extraordinary impact one person can have when they choose to share their story so that others may never have to experience the same.🎧 Listen to the Emily Jordan-Wilson Spotify PlaylistTrack 1 – Down to the River to Pray – Alison KraussTrack 2 – Sorry – Justin BieberTrack 3 – Dog Days Are Over – Florence + The MachineTrack 4 – I'm Still Standing – Elton JohnTrack 5 – Focus Is Power – Self Esteem and Unwritten – Natasha BeddingfieldEmily Jordan-Wilson, Emily Jordan Wilson, Feral Reps, FeralReps, advertising industry, advertising production, production companies, new business, business development, women in advertising, workplace culture, workplace safety, psychological safety, safeguarding, sexual harassment, duty of care, networking culture, client entertainment, founder story, resilience, trauma-informed leadership, post-traumatic growth, advertising leadership, creative industries, employee wellbeing, The emPOWER Breakfast, Athene ParkerPlease Follow & SubscribeIf this conversation resonated please follow, rate and review The emPOWER Breakfast Podcast. Every Subscription, Rating and Share helps more people discover these conversations.You will be supporting our mission to create healthier more compassionate leadership across the creative industries, Thank you SO much for listening.

In Episode Two of Season Three of The emPOWER Breakfast Podcast, Founder and Host Athene Parker sits down with entrepreneur, business leader and MBE recipient Liz Jackson for a powerful conversation about resilience, entrepreneurship, leadership and what it really means to have vision.Liz is one of the UK's most respected business leaders. An entrepreneur, keynote speaker and former Businesswoman of the Year, she has built award-winning businesses, received an MBE for Services to Enterprise, appeared on Channel 4's Secret Millionaire, and today works with founders as Sales & Marketing Director at Initium, helping businesses navigate growth, succession and sale.Throughout the conversation, Liz reflects on the experiences that shaped her long before business success arrived. She shares the story of being diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa as a young child, later losing her sight in her twenties, and how those experiences influenced, not defined, the way she approaches life, leadership and opportunity.Together, Athene and Liz explore ambition, entrepreneurship, faith, purpose, motherhood, confidence and the importance of defining success on your own terms. They discuss why leadership is about seeing potential in others, why perspective is one of our greatest strengths, and why true vision has very little to do with what we can physically see and more about intention, focus and determination.With her trademark humour, infectious energy and unwavering optimism, Liz offers a conversation full of practical wisdom, warmth and hope. Underpinning everything is a quiet faith that has guided her through life's greatest challenges and continues to shape the way she leads, encourages others and embraces every opportunity including the opportunity found in failure. Often finding more gifts during challenging phases that make the wins even more meaningful.Whether you're an entrepreneur, founder, business leader or simply navigating a period of change, this episode is a reminder that our greatest vision comes not from what we see, but from who we choose to become.In this episode you'll hear about:Entrepreneurship and building successful businessesLeadership and business growthBusiness succession and selling a companyPurpose, resilience and perspectiveRetinitis Pigmentosa and sight lossMotherhood and balancing family with businessFaith, optimism and personal growthWomen in business and inclusive leadershipThe reality of sightloss for Liz🎧 - Listen to Liz Jackson MBE Spotify Playlist HereTrack 1 - Bucks Fizz - Making Your Mind UpTrack 2 - Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Wanna Have FunTrack 3 - Survivor - Eye Of The TigerTrack 4 - Charity Gale - Thank You Jesus For The BloodTrack 5 - Nina Simone - Feeling GoodLiz Jackson MBE, Liz Jackson, entrepreneur, female entrepreneur, women in business, business leader, business leadership, Businesswoman of the Year, Secret Millionaire, Initium, corporate finance, founder, business growth, business succession, selling a business, entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, purpose, women leaders, disability inclusion, Retinitis Pigmentosa, sight loss, faith, keynote speaker, mentoring, founder podcast, leadership podcast, women in leadership, empowerment podcast🎧 Subscribe, follow and leave a rating to help more people discover these conversations.

In this first episode of Season 3, of The emPOWER Breakfast Podcast, Founder and Host Athene Parker is joined by advertising industry leader, mentor and change-maker Antoinette deLisser for a fascinating conversation about leadership, identity, opportunity and the lifelong process of reinventing yourself.Antoinette's story is extraordinary. Born into a remarkable family and raised between cultures, she left school at 17 and entered the workforce as a typist, before finding herself at the epicentre of the advertising industry as the trusted right-hand to one of its most influential figures, Trevor Beattie.For years, Antoinette operated behind the scenes of some of advertising's most iconic campaigns, navigating impossible deadlines, celebrity chaos, international crisis management and extraordinary opportunities. It was a role that gave her a front-row seat to power, creativity and influence at the very highest level.But this conversation is not simply about success. It is about what happens when the role that helped define you comes to an end.With honesty, humour and hard-earned wisdom, Antoinette reflects on the challenge of rebuilding her identity beyond the title, stepping out from behind someone else's spotlight and discovering who she was when she became the author of her own story.Together, Athene and Antoinette explore:Leadership and influenceIdentity beyond career successADHD and neurodivergent thinkingWomen in advertising and marketingDiversity, representation and inclusionCareer reinvention and second actsMentorship and creating opportunities for othersConfidence, ambition and self-beliefAntoinette also reflects on experiences of racism, workplace inequality and the moments that shaped her understanding of representation, drawing thoughtful parallels between her own experiences and today's conversations around diversity, equity and inclusion. Today, Antoinette continues to embrace reinvention with the same fearlessness that has defined her career. Looking back on a life shaped by extraordinary opportunities, hard-won lessons and continual evolution, she offers a powerful reminder that success is not a destination but an ongoing process of growth, self-discovery and learning who you are beyond the roles you hold. We are waiting for her to step into the role of Author because my goodness what a story!🎧 Listen to the emPOWER Breakfast – Antoinette de Lisser Spotify Playlist🎶Track 1 –  Kung Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas Track 2 – Work It - Missy ElliotTrack 3 – Smooth Operator - SadeTrack 4 – Sign 'O' The Times - PrinceTrack 5 – About Damn Time - Lizzo Antoinette de Lisser, Trevor Beattie, advertising industry, women in advertising, leadership, career reinvention, women in business, ADHD, neurodiversity, diversity and inclusion, representation, mentoring, female empowerment, women leaders, second act careers, personal growth, confidence, workplace culture, marketing leadership, empowerment podcastPlease Follow & SubscribeIf you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, rate and review The emPOWER Breakfast Podcast. It helps more people discover these conversations and supports the growth of this community. 💫

In this final episode of season 2 of the emPOWER Breakfast Podcast, Founder and Host Athene Parker is joined by award-winning director Karen Cunningham for an insightful conversation about longevity, reinvention, and building a career in the advertising and film industry.Karen’s career spans decades, with multiple creative chapters from early ambitions as an actor, to working in advertising as a TV producer, moving into production as a talent scout and producer, co-founding her own production company Pink Films, and ultimately from there, stepping into a decades long, award winning directing career. Her journey is a powerful example of what it means to evolve, adapt and sustain a long-term creative career.Karen is known for her emotionally rich, human-led storytelling and her ability to draw authentic performances with her AMAZING casting, often from non-actors. Her directing career began with the award-winning short film “Wonderful World,” created for a children’s charity, which marked a defining turning point and launched her behind the camera, the project sweeping the board at the award ceremonies establishing Karen as an impactful voice shaping the landscape of brands and the ad industry alike.With warmth, honesty and humour, Karen reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped her path, including navigating gender bias as a female director, building resilience through uncertainty, and embracing reinvention at every stage of life.Together, Athene and Karen explore:What it takes to build a long-lasting career in the advertising and film industriesThe power of reinvention and career pivotsThe realities of being a female director in a male-dominated industryHow producing shaped Karen’s creative instinct and leadershipThe importance of authentic storytelling and human connection in filmBalancing personal challenges alongside professional successWhat it truly means to direct your life with intentionThis is a conversation about experience, instinct, and staying power.. and a reminder that longevity in creative careers is not just about talent, but about resilience, self-belief and evolution over time.The chat is woven around a journey through music and memory. Sit back, relax and enjoy. 🎧✨🎶 Episode PlaylistTrack 1 – Blowin In The Wind - Bob DylanTrack 2 – Like A Prayer - MadonnaTrack 3 – Blinded By Your Grace - StormzyTrack 4 – Wonderful World - Louis ArmstrongTrack 5 – Perfect Day - BBC Version 1997🎧 Listen to the emPOWER Breakfast – Karen Cunningham Spotify PlaylistKaren Cunningham, female director, advertising industry, film director interview, women in film, creative careers, career longevity, reinvention, storytelling, directing commercials, PRETTYBIRDPlease Follow & Subscribe If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow, rate and review The emPOWER Breakfast Podcast. it helps more people discover these conversations and supports the growth of this community. 💫

In this episode of the emPOWER Podcast, Athene Parker is joined by Mia Powell, founder of Mamamia Talent and one of the advertising and production industry’s most exciting emerging leaders, for an uplifting and deeply honest conversation about resilience, reinvention and building a successful creative career on your own terms.Following a theme of rootlessness in her early years that often saw her pushing herself to the edges, Mia reflects on how she transformed her path, forging an extraordinary career across some of the most respected names in advertising, film and production before stepping out to found her own talent company, Mamamia Talent.Now recognised for her creative instinct, strategic leadership and fierce commitment to championing talent and authentic connection, Mia represents directors and creative talent including Business Club, Riff Raff and Love Song while continuing to carve out her own space as a powerful voice within the creative industries as Ciclope's goto MC among other leading events. She is also forging forward with Bid Different - her With warmth, humour and vulnerability, Mia shares candid reflections on identity, ambition, creativity and navigating the advertising world as a woman of colour — exploring how life’s most difficult moments can become catalysts for growth, reinvention and self-belief.Together, Athene and Mia discuss:Resilience and career reinventionLeadership in advertising and productionCreativity, identity and representationBuilding confidence through adversityFemale leadership and empowermentRedefining success on your own termsBalancing ambition with humanity and emotional honestyThis is a powerful conversation about creative leadership, empowerment and finding your voice, one that will resonate with anyone navigating change in work, life, identity or purpose.The chat is woven around a trip down a musical memory lane. Sit back, relax and enjoy. 🎧✨Track 1 – Sweet Like Chocolate - Shanks & BigfootTrack 2 – Hotel California - The EaglesTrack 3 – Jets - BonoboTrack 4 – Down The Line - It Takes A Number - RomareTrack 5 – So U Kno - OvermonoThe emPOWER Breakfast - Mia Powell Spotify PlaylistMia Powell, Mamamia Talent, women in advertising, female founder, creative leadership, advertising industry, production industry, women of colour in advertising, creative careers, resilience, career reinvention, empowerment podcast, female leadership, talent representation, women in media, emotional intelligence, leadership in advertising, creative entrepreneurship, women founders, authentic leadership, film production, advertising production, diversity in creative industries, confidence, identity, storytelling, creative resilience, empowerment, navigating change, entrepreneurship

Trigger Warning - This episodes discusses theme’s of Sexual Abuse In this episode of the emPOWER Podcast, Athene Parker is joined by actor, entrepreneur and author Perry Power for a deeply courageous and emotionally intelligent conversation about sexual abuse, masculinity, healing and the transformative power of storytelling.Perry speaks openly about his experience as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and the journey that led him to found the Be Powerful Movement a platform supporting survivors in reclaiming their voices through writing, film, creativity and community.Together, Athene and Perry explore the impact of silence on identity, mental health and emotional wellbeing, discussing why men’s stories around abuse are still so often left unheard and unsupported. They reflect on vulnerability, emotional honesty and the importance of creating safer, more compassionate spaces, both in life and within the workplace, where truth can be spoken without shame.With warmth, sensitivity and insight, Perry shares how storytelling became a pathway toward healing, purpose and connection, and why creativity can play such a powerful role in recovery and self-understanding.Together, Athene and Perry discuss:Childhood sexual abuse and breaking generational silenceMasculinity, vulnerability and emotional resilienceHealing through storytelling and creativityMental health and emotional wellbeingAuthentic leadership and human connectionThe role of empathy and emotionally intelligent conversationsBuilding safer spaces for truth, healing and recoveryHe wanted to give you his free guide to writing your story so click and download and start to explore your own story in a safe space.Perry has also written two books with a third on the way:Breaking The Silence and his second book Story Medicine is coming out soon! Perry is fundraising for his film ‘It Ends With Me’ so if you would like details please click here.The chat is woven around a trip down a musical memory lane. Sit back, relax and enjoy!Track 1 – Grease - Frankie ValliTrack 2 – Thinkin Bout Me - Morgan WallenTrack 3 – An American Trilogy - Elvis PresleyTrack 4 – Gonna Fly Now - Theme from RockyTrack 5 – If I Can Dream - Elvis PresleyThe emPOWER Breakfast - Perry Power Spotify Playlist Perry Power, Be Powerful Movement, childhood sexual abuse survivor, healing through storytelling, masculinity and vulnerability, men’s mental health, emotional resilience, storytelling and recovery, authentic leadership, emotional intelligence, trauma recovery, creativity and healing, empowerment podcast, mental health conversations, breaking generational silence, survivor stories, emotional wellbeing, vulnerability in men, healing journey, personal growth, empathy, authentic connection